The Trump White House has kicked off a sweeping probe into every refugee admitted under Joe Biden, targeting 200,000 people for re-interviews and halting their path to permanent residency.
The Directive: A Full Reset
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow issued the internal memo, mandating agencies to scrutinize all arrivals from January 20, 2021, to February 20, 2025.
The goal? Re-verify backgrounds for national security gaps, with a priority list due in 90 days.
Lax Screening Claims
Officials say Biden’s era focused on speed over safety, letting potential risks slip through. Now, USCIS promises to fix it with fresh vetting no exceptions.
Green Cards on Hold — No Appeals
The order freezes green card applications for the entire group. Even those already approved must re-prove eligibility, facing deportation hearings if they fail. No automatic appeals allowed.
Who Gets Hit
The review sweeps up over 185,000 refugees from hotspots like:
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Afghanistan
- Venezuela
- Syria
This caps a tough year: Trump slashed the annual quota to 7,500 — the lowest since the program started in 1980.
Advocates Cry Foul
Rights groups blasted the plan as “cruel and wasteful,” arguing refugees endure the world’s toughest screenings already often waiting years in danger.
“It’s not security it’s cruelty to people who escaped hell just to rebuild here,” one expert said.
With audits ramping up, thousands now wonder if their American dream will survive the review.
